The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Replacement seats from donor vehicle?

My '46 2 ton sat in a field for many many moons (25+ years) and has been the home to just about every mouse within a 10 mile radius, it would appear.

The seat is just trashed. I considered stripping them bare, then getting them re-done.. but that is probably gunna cost a ton o' cash that I would rather spend elsewhere in the trucks restoration.

So I was thinking maybe I could score an inexpensive bench seat out of a vehile at the local bone yard.. i'd like to get something that would fit with minimal modification/rigging and at least LOOKS like something you'd expect to see in a truck of this vintage. (i.e. no blue cloth seats with MOPAR embroidered on 'em)

I've read in a few areas that folks have used s10 seats in 50's trucks.. I dunno if the 50's seats were the same general size as the '41-'46 trucks.

So anybody here have any ideas as to what sort of donor vehicle I should keep my eye out for?

I'm not opposed to re-doing the original seats, so if anybody has some "low budget" home brew methods of re-doing the original seat, i'm all ears.

Fumblin,

I'm using a 92 S-10 bench seat. The seat has to be placed just right, but works great. It is a little on the high side with gas tank still in so if you are vertically gifted..you might not like it. I've also read on here that the third seat out of suburbans or Excursions work.

Also..you can get a seat kit for about $150 and do it yourself. Have the springs sandblasted, paint em up and recover your seat. My old seat is up in the rafters and will probably be re-done and the S-10 seat taken out.

I'm 6'2 and found the original seat (aside from being light on covering and padding) to be just perfect.

$150 seems like a reasonable price for getting a kit for re-doing the original seat.. where can you get it?

American Classic Truck Parts dosent seem to carry anything for a '46.. in fact, most online vendors seem to start at '47 are the seats the same?

I had called around for estimates at local upolstry shops, and seemed like all the folks I called wanted $300+ to redo them.. thats a little rich for my blood for a seat.

Jim Carter's carries the seat kit for a 46 and I plan on buying one and fixing up my seat. $130 for the upholstery and another $20 for the hog rings and padding kit. They come in three different colors so pick your seat.
Jamo